Somali leaders joined the country's northern territories in celebrating
53 years of independence from British colonialism Wednesday (June 26th).

Parts of northern Somalia, comprising what came to be known as
Somaliland, peacefully ended 73 years of British rule on June 26, 1960.
On July 1st the same year, it united with the rest of Somalia, which had
been under Italian rule, to form the Somali Republic.

Speaking at an official ceremony celebrating the event at the
presidential palace, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud urged the Somali
people to incorporate their forefathers' values of dignity, freedom and
independence, Somalia's Radio Mogadishu reported.

Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Osman Jawari and Prime Minister Abdi
Farah Shirdon also took the opportunity to affirm their commitment to
the unity of the country.